Until It's Safe to Go
by Insert a Catchy Penname Here
Summary: There were many years prior to Undertale where it was neither possible nor safe for the monsters to escape their prison. These were considered to be bleak times for the monsters, but there were irrefutable moments of happiness and hope far before the last human fell. (Multiple one to two shots, rated for marked chapters.)
1. Original File

Until It's Safe to Go 

**Author Note:** Would you look at that, I'm writing an Undertale story that doesn't revolve around the Six Lost Souls and Frisk! As a matter of fact, this story only involves one human, that being our first fallen Chara. This is just going to be a collection of various short stories, almost entirely one shots, that will come to me at random intervals. I'm more than open to suggestions, so be sure to review in the end!

 _Personal Reference: 195th Story, 4th Undertale story._

* * *

 **Chara/Asriel: The True Beginning**

 _Trigger Warnings: Attempted suicide, allusion to self harm, mass attempt to murder a child_

* * *

They wouldn't do it if they didn't build up their momentum as much as their confidence. It was because of this knowledge a ten year old was standing at the entrance to a cave, their skin crawling with anxiety and their eyes squeezed shut as they tried to convince themselves once last time. Legends said those who climbed Mt. Ebott never returned, and that was exactly what they were betting on. Just because they were prepared for what would surely come, that didn't remove their very human apprehension to end it all.

If they focused on happy memories, that would likely lessen their incentive to go through with this. Unfortunately, they didn't have many to clutch to. Their brother teaching them to walk. The few friends that eventually slipped through their fingers. Melted chocolate from the pastry shop. Their brother refusing to see anyone but them in his last moments.

"Attribe, what would you think of me now?" They muttered weakly as a singular tear glided down their cheek.

Their mother abandoning them to conceive more children to make up for her second born being a 'demon child.' Their father's rough hands and cold indifference. Attribe's being poisoned by 'accident'. The rope around their neck as they were dragged to the fire. Barriville's intense hatred for them just because their eyes were red.

They would see their brother soon.

 **...**

The impact did not knock them unconscious, and it did not kill them. Instead it made the air leave their lungs, their stomach twisting in pain and a loud ringing in their head consuming all of their thoughts. It hurt. It hurt. It _hurt._

"H-help," they mumbled into the flowerbed as darkness crept over their vision. "Help me..."

They attempted to call out for help a couple of more times, but nobody came. They couldn't muster the energy to shout any louder, so they buried their face in the vegetation and let the uncomfortable sleep overtake them.

 _Attribe, I tried._

 **...**

"It sounds like it came from over here..."

They'd regained consciousness quite some time ago and had been helplessly yelling for help until their throat felt like it was going to turn to dust. A small goat was peeking out from behind a pillar now, his eyes wide as he looked around the area. They weren't sure he was talking to, but anything, even if it was just him, would do.

"Please..." They muttered, their energy too low to even keep their face lifted now.

"Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you..." The small creature commented, slowly approaching them now without any fear. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," they responded dejectedly. "I'm...I'm hurt. My head is killing me, and my back and stomach-"

A pair of furry paws suddenly touched the backs of their shoulders, and at once they felt better than they had since Attribe's life. "There, your HP being full should help. Here, get up..."

As they got to their feet, they came face to face with the youthful monster. He wasn't what they were expecting any monster to look so soft or friendly, but given where they came from, it was welcoming. The look of concern all across them reminded them so much of her brother, of the only person that ever cared if they live or died or didn't want them dead right away. He didn't seem to care in the least about the color of their eyes in the slightest.

"It's nice to meet you," they said slowly as they put a hand to their head, hardly understanding the compassion. "My...My name is Chara."

"Chara, huh? That's a nice name," he decided with a reassuring smile. "My name is Asriel. Asriel Dreemur! Howdy!"

"Howdy?" They repeated distantly; what strange lingo. "Uh...Hello to you to, I guess? Where am I? And...And why am I still...?"

"You're in the Underground, silly," he replied contently. "You fell down here, remember? From the Surface? I really hate to tell you this, but if you want to go back up, there isn't a way to-"

"No!" They interrupted more sharply than they intended, but of this they were certain. "I would never want to go back. If everyone down here is as nice as you, I'll never try to leave."

He broke into a wide grin then, a paw gently going to their lower back while the other held their hand. "Well, I'm really glad to hear that! Come on, I'll take you to my parents. They're the king and queen of the Underground; isn't that cool! I bet Mom will heal you even better than I did, and we can have some butterscotch-cinnamon pie..."

As the monster child chattered and began walking, something deep within Chara filled her with a sense of guilt. To think such a cheerful little child could have found them, bled out or bruised past recognition with their chest stationary...

"Chara?" Asriel asked carefully. "Is everything alright? I mean...I don't know how life was up there, but down here I promise you'll be taken care of. My parents are the nicest monsters you'll ever meet, and if you want, I can stay with you until you feel safe enough to go alone. How's that sound?"

Tears flooded in their eyes, their dark red eyes, as they held closer to their new best friend. "Attri- I mean, Asriel. Thank you. That sounds...Really nice. You mentioned pie?"

"Yeah, my mom makes it the best!" He quipped eagerly. "Come on, let's hurry before it cools off!"

As they began running through the mysterious world, Chara gripped his paw tightly and allowed themselves to giggle alongside him. This feeling of finally being free, not dead, rushed through their body and made them feel alive. They were filled with determination.

 **ORIGINAL FILE SAVED.**


	2. Little Delusions

Until It's Safe to Go 2

It was a safe hypothesis that Undyne was not the most maternal person.

As a matter of fact, the aquatic monster that had stolen her heart wasn't even _gentle_ , much less maternal. Nevertheless, she was the only person the reptilian monster could think to call on under the unique circumstances. Her crush insisted the people of Hotland enjoyed her company and even _liked_ her, but she couldn't just ask a random stranger to take care of the vulnerable infant dropped off at her doorstep. Besides, what if he?-she?- it?- wound up back with the very monsters who'd abandoned them so heartlessly. That would surely be even worse than asking for help from someone who was her friend!

"T-there, there," Alphys whispered as soothingly as she could when the infant began whimpering in the bundle of blankets securing them in the basket. "E-everything will be alright. I...I ca-can't ask her to come here, so we'll just take a little trip, o-okay?"

The babe merely whimpered and hiccuped out a pathetic little cry, one that was far weaker than what would be normal for someone so young. She dropped to her knees at once and began gently unwrapping the blankets; surely all of their limbs were being restricted in them...

"O-oh...You don't have arms," she noted with surprise. "Well...That's alright, little one. Th-that's not your fault, I'm sure."

Now they were looking at her with wide eyes full of tears, sniffling and whimpering when she moved to place one of the many blankets over them again. At once she dropped the cloth and blushed at her blunder, which if nothing else seemed to distract him from crying for a moment. What could this tiny monster possibly want from her...?!

The smell hit her like a slap in the face and she blushed more profusely. "O-of course. I bet I'd be crying if I had a filthy diaper too...Here, I'll just...I'll use...Look, I c-can order some offline, and I have hour-shipping, but you can't just stay in that gross thing...Aha!"

Mere minutes later, she'd cleaned the baby up, determined they were a little boy, covered them with a lab coat, and had them happily watching Mew Mew Kissy Cutie while she ordered various baby supplies. She had no idea what such a tiny creature would need, so she ordered pretty much everything with the word 'baby' in it: Baby socks, baby diapers, baby cologne, baby carrots...

"That should be enough..." She murmured to herself, casting an anxious glance to the tot. "I just have to keep you happy until we can get to Undyne...She'll know what to do, I'm s-sure!"

 **...**

Undyne did not, in fact, know what to do. As a matter of fact, she looked about ready to faint or explode (or both) when she arrived with the youth napping in his new carriage.

"What am I supposed to do with this?!" She demanded at once. "I'm a Royal Guardsmen, not a babysitter!"

"I-I'm sorry, Undyne," she stuttered, her anxiety rising out of her chest and sending trembles across her body. "I...I had no idea what to do! W-why would anyone leave him wi-with me...?"

"Why would anyone just abandon him like that!" It was now the royal scientist realized her crush's anger was directed at whoever done this crime, not herself. "What's it matter that he doesn't have arms?! Lots of people don't have arms and they can still kick ass! I'm gonna go kick THEIR ASSES!"

"Undyne, pl-please!" She whispered urgently, biting her lower lip as the youth twitched around restlessly. "I j-just got him to go to sleep. Please don't wake him up and pl-please don't hurt whoever his birth parents are. I-I know it's heinous, and trust me, I'm upset too, but...None of that matters now. A-all that matters is that we find him somewhere safe and some people to c-care for him, right?"

The aquatic monster paused for a long few moments, and for a second, the smaller was terrified she'd tell her it was her burden to carry alone. Before she could speak again, however, she was trapped in one of her idol's bone-crushing hugs as she laughed as if she'd just won an epic battle.

"Fuhuhuhu!" She cackled. "You're a genius, Alphys! All we've got to do is find some parents for the little rugrat!"

"Th-that won't be easy-" She began trying to rationalize, but the baby had unsurprisingly woke to the other's loud laughter and was now making small sounds of confusion. "O-oh no! Please, please don't start crying again..."

Despite her begging, the tiny monster began to sob, even louder and more powerful than he had before. It was almost as if he were trying to match up to Undyne's volume! Said loud adult now looked down to the pitiful creature, face scrunching up in displeasure the more he cried. For a second the scientist was afraid she'd try and yell to make it stop, or maybe push or shove him like she did to her trainees, but she simply picked him up by the foot and stared at him in a squint.

"What are you crying about?!" She demanded, and the actions surprised the infant so much he paused his wailing to stare at her. "Huh, you little punk?! You think you can just show up and cry like you're dying for no good reason!"

The baby continued to stare and Alphys held her breath; surely he was going to utterly freak out now. Instead, he began to giggle and sniffle, looking to her with wide eyes as she flipped him the right side up. The tough guardsmen seemed to think for a moment before pressing the side of her face to his stomach, nodding determinedly once she heard it gurgle.

"This kid's hungry!" She declared in victory. "Alphys! You bought him food, right?!"

"O-of course! It's all in the purple bag, b-but I don't know how old he is, s-so I just bought him a bunch of bottles a-and food..."

"Hm. We'll just have to try it all then!"

With that her crush had seized the bag and run inside with a giggly infant to boot. The royal scientist grabbed the rest of his things and hurried after for fear she'd accidentally stab him with the spoon trying to feed him, but she was grateful for her best friend's help. She was always so sure of herself even when she didn't have all the answers; these people should have just left him with her and let her figure it out. At least she didn't need someone like Alphys to take every problem off of her hands...

"Yo, Alphys!" Her voice suddenly called, pulling her from her darker thoughts. "Get it off of me! I can't get this lid open if he's pulling on my- OW! Alright, punk, you're asking for it-!"

"Pl-please don't noogie the baby!" The plumper yipped, quickly tugging him free from her long hair.

Well, perhaps Undyne didn't completely not need her after all...

* * *

The night before had utterly exhausted both of the king's employees. Even after being fed, bottled, burped, and played with until nine o'clock, he still seemed to refuse to sleep. The second either of them stopped rocking his bassinet or stopped talking to him, he'd begin screeching out the most heartbroken cries they'd ever heard. It was like he'd never received positive attention, and if he did, he had to try and fight and keep it before it stopped forever. The thought broke Alphys's heart and made Undyne turn her face away when it was suggested, so they stayed up with him until he finally dozed off around four AM.

"You're up already?" She could hear the more aquatic monster grumble as she slowly woke up herself. "Man, babies don't ever sleep!"

"They're actually supposed to get quite a lot," she voiced with a yawn. "I-I'm not sure why he refuses to rest, but he's going to need it today, especially if we're going to try and find p-parents for him."

"How?" She groaned and dropped her head back, moaning when the infant began pulling at her hair again. "He's wide eyed and bushy tailed as always."

It took the nerdier monster nearly an hour to assemble the contraption she found in load of items she'd bought the day before, but eventually she'd successfully secured the youth in the chest-carrier on her crush. He bounced in it the best he could for a while, his saucer eyes darting everywhere and adorable giggles coming from him the more he saw, but eventually he dozed off once more with his head rested on Undyne's neck.

"He's a pain," the taller muttered. "But he is cute. Little...Hey Alph, what _is_ his name anyway?"

She immediately began to sweat; the birth parents hadn't even left a note! "I...I don't think he has one..."

"Well, I'm gonna call him Kid!" The other decided suddenly. "Monster Kid, or MK for short. Maybe his future parents will think of a better name, but I think it's pretty easy to remember for now, don't you?"

Monster Kid. It was certainly...accurate, to say the least. She merely smiled and gave her an encouraging thumbs up, hiding her intense blush when her crush marched outside to begin the search. She knew it was just a little delusion of hers, but she secretly hoped that they wouldn't find parents for this baby and they'd have to raise him themselves. Then Undyne could slowly fall in as much love with her as she was, and they'd be a little family in Waterfall where they could both serve King Asgore and raise a baby the way they wanted-

"Alphys! Are you coming?!"

She blushed more profusely. "S-sorry, just tr-trying to get everything!"

It was a selfish delusion, anyway. Neither her nor Undyne had an clue how to raise a baby, and they were far too busy to constantly give him the attention he wanted and deserved. The best thing for both of them would be to find him more capable, willing parents, and the best thing for her...She decided it didn't matter as she pushed the supplies out.

 **...**

"What a cute little baby," a monster named Camilla gushed as she looked onto MK. "Isn't he, dearest?"

"He sure is," her husband, a little fish that was resting on her shoulder, agreed. "He'd be a perfect addition to our family."

"Pebble and Sewee will just love her!" Camilla agreed eagerly. "Miss Undyne, Miss Alphys, we'd love to take this little guy in. I just think it's plain awful what those Hotland monsters did, just deserting him out of nowhere just because he doesn't have arms. He can't do anything anyone else couldn't do!"

"Agreed!" Undyne declared fiercely, a big grin spread across her face. "Well, to help you out, Alphys and I have a crap ton of baby supplies for ya! You shouldn't want for anything for a while!"

After nearly a week of searching, Alphys was reluctant to let Monster Kid go. All of the sleepless nights and feeding sessions had made her grow attached; she'd even gotten him to crawl toward her the day before! Regardless, she reminded herself this was what was best for him. After all, she had to get back to her experiments, and Undyne had official royal guardsmen business to attend to. Besides, her ideal lover knew everybody in Waterfall, so if she thought these people were good and trustworthy, then she did, too.

"M-may we visit? I-if it's n-not too much trouble..." The scientist stuttered as Camilla shook hands with their royal guardsman.

"Of course!" She chirped brightly. "I'm sure he really appreciates you two taking the time to take care of him. Just look at the way he's smiling at you!"

"Well, we'll miss the little punk," Undyne admitted as she stroked back his scales affectionately. "But he's in two capable...Um...Hands."

After the final goodbyes and the two parents began carrying everything to their own house, Alphys could no longer stop the tears from falling down her face. Once again her delusions were only in her hopes and dreams, crushed by reality, never to be realized. At this rate, she'd never be able to tell Undyne how she really felt, much less anything else she'd lied about...

"I really am going to miss him." To her utmost surprise, Undyne was now shamelessly wiping at her own eyes. "I mean, I don't miss sleep, but it was kind of nice taking care of someone like that."

"Y-yeah," she agreed softly. "He...He'll be happy with them."

"We'll just have to make sure he stays that way!" The other declared brashly. "Nobody's gonna mess with that kid while we're around!"

"R-right," she managed with a small laugh. "Well, I-I should go back to my...work. Th-thank you for all your help."

Before she could fully turn around, she felt a pair of strong, blue arms wrap around her and hug her close. She nearly melted; she was really being hugged by her! Timidly she returned the embrace, not trying to hide to smile and tears of relief.

"I wouldn't have done it for anyone else," the other pointed out in a serious tone. "And I wouldn't have done it with anybody else. Call me again anytime, okay?"

"O-okay! I will!" She agreed with a renewed sense of confidence, a genuine smile replacing the fake one.

Maybe, just maybe, there would one day be room for her hopes and dreams to come true after all.


	3. Disbelief Papyrus

Until It's Safe to Go 3

 **Author Note:** This chapter has some pretty _MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS. _ This is the first extremely serious chapter of this anthology, and it's one of the chapters that contributes to the rating be so high. Please, if any of the context descriptive in the trigger warnings will bother you, please move onto the next chapter once it is made available. As always, thank you for you continued love and support!

 _MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS:_ Descriptive depiction of suicide, alcoholism, and depression, finding the remains, discussion of suicide, depiction of intense depression and insanity, depiction of genocide.

* * *

Sans supposed he wanted to feel something. Anything would do at this point; pain, sadness, anger. Happiness. But all of the feeling had long drained out of him, leaving him a _skeleton_ of who he used to be. Was that funny? He supposed it might have once been.

He'd often felt before that Papyrus was his only true friend. He was his older brother, the one that kept him alive when a certain person ceased to exist. The other monsters tolerated him because they found his sibling endearing or funny, but he didn't really have anybody to call his own friend. The old lady on the other side of the door was the only person he had, and even she wasn't always around.

Grillby was demanding he pay his tab. He couldn't blame the guy; they all needed to make a living to survive, and it was even harder for a guy made of fire to be forced to live in Snowdin. He'd been cut off from consuming his ketchup bottles, and the stress of withdrawal was getting hard to handle. His vision was constantly spotting out, his bad eye flashing blue and his bones rattling when he was trying to lay still. It was becoming impossible to hide it from Papyrus.

"BROTHER?" His sibling questioned as he watched him try to subtly quake. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT? THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS BECOMING VERY CONCERNED."

"why, bro?" He asked wearily, blinking a little longer than usual to try and conceal his glowing eye. "i'm just relaxing. why, i'm even the relax-KING."

"I SUPPOSE..." But for once, the taller didn't seem to take his fatigue with a humorous bout of yelling. "BUT YOU NEVER SHAKE WHEN YOU NAP THE NIGHT AWAY. YOU'RE MUCH TOO LAZY FOR THAT. ALSO, I NEVER SEE YOU GO TO GRILLBY'S ANYMORE, AND WHILE I FIND THAT ESTABLISHMENT DESPICABLE, IT ALWAYS CHEERED YOU UP. WHY DON'T YOU GO THERE NOW?"

"grillbz just has got me BURNT out. i'm a real SKEL-out."

That seemed to do the trick; his brother immediately scoffed and yelled at him to 'start acting like a normal lazybones', and with that he was gone to his patrol. Something had to change now. It was all becoming too much to handle alone, but nobody would understand. As far as he was concerned, there could only be one other monster aware of the resets, but they wouldn't care because they were the one who controlled them. Everyone would think he'd finally lost it, and he couldn't have that reputation following his brother around because of their association with each other. He would just have to do something else.

 **...**

His sins seemed to claw up his spine as he desperately drained his sixth bottle of ketchup. He didn't want to but damned if he didn't mean too; his shortcuts could come in handy for more than just saving energy. Grillby would be so upset when he came in and all of the bottles had seemingly disappeared, but even if he did suspect him, he wouldn't do anything. He was just that nice of a monster. Sans didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve anyone's kindness, or pity, or compassion. Nobody deserved having to put up with him the more and more he fell apart.

"i'm sorry, grillby," he murmured drunkenly as he put back the empty bottle. "you won't have to worry about me making you short anymore.'

As carefully as he could, he stumbled back to their home. He knew his brother would be having a sleepover with Undyne and Alphys tonight, so he could anticipate being alone for the night. He could spend it slowly ingesting his ketchup before vomiting, but that wouldn't help relieve the intense negativity deep inside his SOUL. It had to end tonight.

A singular note to leave for his brother wouldn't be enough. Papyrus really didn't deserve the suffering that was coming to him, but at least he could leave him more to remember him by if he wanted. Maybe his brother didn't know it, but he'd be far better off without him in the end.

For the table: "be sure to feed pet rock."

For the TV: "keep watching mettaton's shows when things get rough."

For Pap's room: "don't forget to practice driving your bed for the Surface one day."

For his own room: "come in here all you like. you deserve to know the truth."

And finally, for the kitchen: "i enjoyed my last plate of spaghetti."

That should be enough. He wasn't sure; everything was growing heavy, suggesting he'd be asleep soon. No, this had to happen before he slipped into a mini coma. He wasn't sure how he wanted to do it, but he didn't want to leave too much of a mess behind. He supposed he could drink too much ketchup, but that would take too long and he'd probably regurgate it by instinct. It had to be something to quickly destroy his SOUL and that would make his dust minimal.

A snippet of a memory flashed through his mind; his creator- father?- standing over him, gripping his hands with his own. A vile pressed between their palms. What did he say about it? Pure determination, never meant to be consumed by monsters. Taking it all at once...Yes, that would do the job nicely.

* * *

Papyrus wished he could stop feeling. The pain washed over him in waves, making his SOUL tremble with emotional anguish inside of him as he sat by his brother's urn. There was no body left of his brother- at least no salvageable one- so Alphys did the grave task of reducing his remains to dust to be gathered. Undyne had suggested he do something more than sit beside it constantly, but it was the only thing that made him feel like his sibling hadn't left him so suddenly.

"PET ROCK DIDN'T SEEM VERY HUNGRY TODAY," he commented as softly as he could, his voice quivering. "HE DIDN'T EVEN WANT MY...MY FA-FAMOUS SPAGHETTI. I...IF O-ONLY YOU WERE HERE TO ENJOY IT WITH ME, BROTHER."

Now that he was gone, the younger skeleton was plagued with memories of his brother acting strangely. He should have known something was wrong, should have pressed a little harder, should of insisted he lift both of their spirits. But it was too late and even a month later he couldn't begin to accept it.

"Hey, Paps!" Undyne's voice called from the doorway. "You ready for your crafting lesson today?!"

After what had to be done to Sans's remains, Papyrus never wanted to bake anything. It was too hard to cook spaghetti, either, so he just ate the stiff noodles and left them in the sauce can to flavor them. At least Undyne didn't yell at him for it.

"I SUPPOSE..." He didn't take his eye sockets off of the urn as he stood up.

"You're not wearing your Royal Guard uniform!" She commented, her excited tone dropping along with her expression. "Why not? You do still want to join, don't you?"

"I HAVE DECIDED IT CAN WAIT," he explained wearily. "AFTER ALL, THINGS NEED TO BE DONE AROUND THE HOUSE. APPARENTLY, THERE ARE PIECES OF PAPER YOU HAVE TO RESPOND TO WITH GOLD TO KEEP YOUR UTILITIES. IN ADDITION, PET ROCK MUST BE FED CONSTANTLY TO KEEP HIM ALIVE, AND I HAVE TAKEN ON ALL FOUR OF MY BROTHER'S SENTRY POSITIONS TO KEEP UP."

"Look, Papyrus, if you need help, just ask for it!" She snapped forcefully, and he couldn't help but cower, something he would have never felt like he had to do...before. "You're my best friend! I hate seeing you so caught up on this! Look, I know how hard it is to lose someone that you love. But you can't put your life on hold just because he's gone!"

"IT MUST BE DONE, UNDYNE. THIS IS MY RESPONSIBILITY NOW."

"You could come live with me, you bonehead!" She practically screamed, throwing the crafts she'd brought over to the ground before she grabbed his shoulders. "We all love you, Papyrus! Sans's wouldn't have wanted this for you!"

"NO OFFENSE, UNDYNE..." He was already cringing before he said it, but he was desperate to make his point. "BUT IF EITHER OF US REALLY KNEW WHAT...WHAT SANS WANTED, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT HIM ALONE."

The silence that filled the air was deafening as she slowly loosened her grip, her eyes slowing drifting to the rock absolutely coated with sprinkles on the table. The tears in her gaze caused his own sockets to fill, and at once he felt like he couldn't bear to stand or be alone ever again.

"I miss him so much..." He whimpered in a small voice, dropping to his knees. "Why did he leave?"

Immediately her muscular arms were around him, her hand holding his skull to her chest as she tried not to cry herself. "I don't know, Paps. But I'm not going anywhere, okay? You can count on me."

"...I will."

 **...**

"Hey there, buddy!"

Papyrus wasn't all that surprised by the small flower that had just spoken to him. He was obviously in a very good mood, which was a sharp contrast to his own, but he did appreciate it. He bleakly considered for a moment that he used to be the insistent optimist, but it just wasn't possible as he continued trying to learn how to live.

"HELLO," he replied with a half smile. "CAN I HELP YOU?"

"You're looking pretty bleak, buddy!" The flower chirped. "What's wrong?!"

"I AM MERELY...THINKING, TINY FLOWER," he responded with a small sigh. "I REALLY MUST CONTINUE PATROLLING FOR HUMANS. IT WAS NICE TO MEET YOU."

He began to walk away, but the vines mysteriously appearing around his ankles made it hard to move. Fear resonated deep inside him, but it lessened considerably when he considered an unfriendly plant slaughtering him would mean he see his brother again.

"Hey, I wasn't finished!" Despite his borderline malicious actions, the flower merely pouted when he got his attention. "I know you're really sad about your brother dying. That must really hurt. To know that he's never coming back, and it might even been your fault he's gone...It must really keep you up at night."

The exhaustion from the insomnia seemed to weigh heavier in his bones as tears formed in his sockets for what felt like the millionth time. "IT DOES."

"But hey! What if I told you I knew a way to make him come back?!" The small plant chirped with a big grin.

The proposition nearly made the surviving brother fall over. "FLOWER...THAT IS A NICE THOUGHT, BUT MY BROTHER IS DEAD. HE'S GONE. HE'S NEVER COMING BACK."

"Ooh, I bet he can..." The flower broke into a wider grin if that was possible. "All you have to do is let me do whatever I want for the next six hours and I'll let you see him again. Sound good?"

Surely this little flower was magic, like the wizards and faeries in the bedtime stories Sans used to read to him. He was going to make everything alright again in just six hours! Part of Papyrus's subconscious nagged at him, urging him to tell Undyne about this strange monster, insisting that they were both delusional for believing in that kind of miracle. For Sans, though, he'd take the risk.

"YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A DEAL, MISTER FLOWER."

"Please," he responded with a wink. "Call me Flowey."

 **...**

Dust. So much dust. So much destruction. The _silence_.

"I AM SORRY, MY FRIENDS," Papyrus commented to the remains of who used to be his friends and neighbors. "BUT IT HAD TO BE THIS WAY. IT MEANS GETTING SANS BACK. ISN'T THAT EXCITING?"

He should feel worse about it. They were just as gone as his beloved sibling was, but it didn't seem to resonate with him in the same way. The past five months had been so cripplingly lonely without his best companion, even with Undyne's aggressive upbeatness and Alphys's nervous reassurances. He'd even let pet rock go without a meal to make his way to a place Flowey called the king's garden. Actually, maybe it wasn't the king's garden if the king was already gone. Maybe he'd mourn with Sans later if they weren't too busy reuniting.

"FLOWEY, THE SIX HOURS IS UP," he called eagerly as he waded through the non-corporeal flowers. "I AM READY TO SEE SANS AGAIN."

"Oh, I bet you are," the small plant purred as he turned to face him, dust sticking to every inch of him. "How does it feel to have everyone you love to be dead around you? All so you can see your _precious brother_ again!"

He cackled manically, so the younger skeleton hesitantly began to laugh as well. Immediately his small friend stopped, looking at him with his face a mask of confusion.

"YOU WERE LAUGHING," he explained with a small half-grin. "SO I FIGURED I SHOULD LAUGH TOO."

Now Flowey fixated a confused glare on him. "Everyone you love is dead, you idiot! That stupid fish warrior had the nerve to try and fight me back, too, but I slaughtered her _so_ easily. Oh, and that idiot little royal scientist...I loved how much she screamed when I cut her neck. It was so satisfying!"

Undyne. Alphys. Part of him wanted to cry for their loss, to flinch when he described their murders. But the only thing that mattered to him now was to see Sans one more time, to cry and hug him and finally feel normal. It'd been so long since he slept, and he'd been seeing delusions of himself with a glowing orange left eye and buff bones. It was time for him to be as at peace with reality as everyone else was.

"I WANT TO SEE SANS."

"Maybe you just need some time to process all this..." The plant scoffed. "You freaking weirdo. I'll be back in a week. Have fun!"

With that he was gone, but Papyrus didn't bother to move. He wanted to be there the second he came back, to greet him once more and urge him to give him his family back. For the next six days he sat there, his sockets only occasionally closing before the nightmares made him wake up screaming into the petals. A few times he wandered through the streets, but with the noise in his mind only growing louder, the silence was welcoming. When Flowey finally came back, he greeted him with an eager wave.

"I THOUGHT SIX DAYS WOULD NEVER END!" He declared in a bold yell, something he hadn't done since the burning of his sibling. "IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! ARE YOU READY TO RETURN SANS TO ME?"

Flowey stared at him for a few long moments before shaking his head, chuckling in an unnerved way. "I gotta say, buddy, you might be even more twisted than me. As entertaining as all this was, I still think your smiley trash bag of a brother is more fun to go after. See you in the next RESET, Papyrus."

* * *

He was alive. The determination should have killed him, but he was alive. He was laying on the couch, his bones rattling as he slowly sat up and looked around. How long had it been since the world reset? Where was-?

"BROTHER! YOU WERE DUE AT WORK THREE HOURS AGO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE COUCH? GET UP, GET UP, YOU LAZYBONES!"

Sans wobbled on his feet as he stood up, looking to his younger sibling with tears forming in his eye sockets. He had no idea how long he'd been gone only to be forced back, but while not existing felt like a relief, he was almost grateful to be yanked back. He was so ketchup-filled and depressed before that he thought it'd be okay to leave his Papyrus, his baby, fragile brother, all alone in the cruel world of the Underground. He really was an idiot.

"SANS? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

"yeah, yeah, i'm great..." He shook his head slightly and quirked his usual smile up at him. "i think i'm going to grillby's. i'll cal-SEE-ya later."

"UGH, THAT DIDN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!"

As he walked out into the snow, he noticed a cluster of small yellow flowers struggling to survive in the bitter environment of Snowdin. He felt compelled to slide off his coat and drape it around their roots; if he got to live, so did they. Before he could continue on his way, however, he noticed the center one had a face, a face that was now grinning at him sadistically.

"Good to see you again, Smiley Trashbag," it purred with a evil little giggle. "It's so nice to bring you back into existence any time you try and escape me."

Him. The source of all of his misery was this tiny yellow flower. The reality slowly settled over Sans; all of the feeling he'd lacked in the last timeline flooded into his SOUL, filling him with a sick sense of determination. Maybe he couldn't RESET, but he could make some very crucial changes to this fresh timeline.

"Well then, buddy..." He said lowly as his eye glowed a strong, very-alive blue. "Looks like you wanna have a bad time."

* * *

 **Author Note:** And there you have it! I really wanted to incorporate some elements of the 'Disbelief Papyrus' in this oneshot; I understand some of you may not agree with Papyrus going completely insane after something like Sans's suicide, and while I agree he's a very strong and complex character, I just don't think he'd respond well to something so devastating. He'd be able to live, but he's just naive and sheltered enough I feel like such a major death would really mess him up. Besides, I figured there had to be a reason Flowey enjoyed really messing with Sans rather than Papyrus!

Shout out for this headverse/idea to **Randomcat1832,** one of my very lovely and talented friends on this site. You should check out her work, and don't forget to review! Stay determined!


	4. Ambivert

Until It's Safe to Go 4

Some monsters were extroverts; they couldn't stand to be alone and to without attention, much like Happstablook and Apsterblook. Then there were monsters that were introverts; they preferred to be alone, like Dapsterblook. Napstablook wasn't sure what he was- he loved to be alone, but he always felt so _lonely_ when he was left to his own devices. It seemed he couldn't win with anyone, including himself.

"Are you going to do anything special for today?" Apster asked softly ask they ate their ghost eggs.

"I suppose not..." He replied weakly, trying to manage a small smile for the sake of his cousin but not being able to pull it off. "Sorry..."

"He's probably just going to go sulk in the RUINS like he usually does," Dapster commented harshly, and he couldn't help but flinch.

"That's what I usually do..." Apster reminded with squiggly tears threatening in their eyes. "I...I'm sorry..."

"It's fine when you do it!" The brasher responded loudly, nudging his non-corporal body against their cousin. "You make something of your life! Old Napstablook here, he doesn't do anything but make that silly music of his and lay on the floor!"

"It is a family tradition..." The youngest of the three tried futility to defend him, but he knew nothing would ever change the eldest's mind about him. He'd always be worthless to.

"He takes it too far!" Dapster decided with a roll of his eyes, narrowing his gaze when he looked at him. "When ya gonna grow up, you worthless Napster? Huh?"

"I...I'm sorry..." The median-aged ghost whimpered, quickly fazing out of the home and into the area where the Turbo Snail races were held. "I can do this right, I suppose...Maybe not...Oh..."

He didn't _like_ always feeling so low about himself, but Dapster's harsh words and his own insecurities made it impossible to escape it. He was trying to accept that he was really just trash, and that he'd never amount to anything more than he was constantly reminded of by his cousin. Even if Apster and Happsta believed in him, he saw no real reason to believe in himself. It was truly pointless, even if he didn't want it to be.

The sounds of yelling and crashing around from the distance made the second youngest ghost shiver. That could only mean Happsta and Dapster were fighting again, and once they got started, they rarely stopped until one of them was injured either emotionally or mentally (since they didn't have physical forms that weren't translucent). As if on cue with his thoughts, Apster came bolting out of the area as fast as they could, tears pouring down their face as they looked to him helplessly.

"M-make them stop!" They pleaded anxiously. "Y-you're the only one Happsta will listen to!"

"B...but you're the only one Dapster listens too..." He acknowledged hesitantly, but that only seemed to upset the other into fazing away with a loud wail. "O...oh...I said the wrong thing again, didn't I..."

His own tears finally began dripping down his face, turning his back to anyone who dared to approach. It was one of those rare times he just wanted to be left alone, even if he secretly wished his oldest cousin would forget his feud and come comfort himself. He knew it was probably selfish to keep the very talented and friendly Happsta all to himself, but...

"Blooky?"

He went to the other immediately, sobs erupting from his pseudo-chest as he nestled into them the best he could. "H-Happsta!"

"Don't worry, Blooky. I'm here. I won't ever leave you, and I won't allow Dapsterblook to ever harass you again. I promise."

 **...**

These moments were his favorite. Sitting in his beloved cousin's home, sipping some ghost tea, both of their eyes shut as they laid on the ground to feel like trash. Well, Happsta liked to say they were _meditating,_ but he didn't really the see the difference. It was more cathartic than when he did it alone, though, which is why he was partial to it.

"Blooky," the older mused softly. "Do you ever think about becoming corporeal?"

"I...Well, I..." He hesitated; he didn't want to say anything wrong after this morning.

"Don't worry about what you're going to say." How did they always know what he was thinking? "There isn't any right or wrong answer. Just be honest."

That was relieving. "N...Not really, then. I guess it's come to mind a f-few times, but...I'm not interested if that's what you mean..."

"I see."

Given the tone they spoke with, Napstablook had an unsettling feeling that were _was_ secretly a wrong answer. At any rate, they didn't seem very happy with his response, so he sunk back into his own self-absorbed silence. The thought of becoming corporeal honestly terrified him; he would have to learn how to move and function all over again, and being translucent and having the ability to teleport were things he enjoyed about his existence. Both cousins knew Apster dreamed big about what kind of shell he'd eventually occupy and operate, and while Dapster didn't seem all that opposed to the idea, Happsta and he had been undecided on their stances for quite some time. Of course it was expected they'd warm up to the concept- all of their parents had become corporeal- but he never had and didn't feel he ever would.

"Well...What if I became corporeal?" Happsta finally inquired.

The question hit him hard. Of course they'd change their mind; they were very different from him in all of the best ways. They would find a body and grow into it, then do something productive with it. Of course.

"I would support you," he replied nearly silently. "I would still be here...Cheering you on."

"I don't think I will, of course. I'd never be able to find the kind of body I'm looking for."

These statements surprised the younger ghost; wouldn't he just become a training dummy or a weapon? "W...What kind of body _are_ you looking for?"

"I'm glad you asked, darling!"

Now there were several sheets of paper between them, all of them filled with designs of a feminine body with distinct masculine features as well. It was bold. It was sharp. It was was beautiful. It was his Happstablook, and the way they beamed as they looked at their work made Napsta smiled softly himself. As hard as it would be let them go, at least they'd be happy.

"I...I'm sure somebody can make that..." He mused hopefully. "B...besides, you could always inhabit...Th-the paper..."

For a long moment, Happsta was silent, and the smaller immediately was filled with the dread he'd messed up again. Then they began to laugh, and they laughed and laughed and laughed even more until there were circular tears dripping down their face. He was hesitant to join himself- he was far too insecure about his laugh- but he did snicker a few times and press to their relative's form. He always loved making them happy, as it was the only thing that truly filled him with a sense of purpose. As long as their beloved cousin was happy, so was he.

"Do you have to go back soon?" At least they seemed disappointed about him leaving.

"I...I do..." He replied glumly. "B...But I really like your sketches, Happsta. I hope you can find someone to give you that form..."

"Thank you, Blooky. Maybe we could can find you something yet?" Their smile was gentle despite their implications, so he smiled back before turning to leave. "W-wait! I almost forgot!"

They handed him a bright pink card now, one that wouldn't be able to be held by anyone that wasn't a ghost. It said **Happy Valentine's Day, Darling!,** and below it was an adorable portrait of himself with his usual headphones on. The sight of it made him blush and hold the paper close despite not truly understanding why he was receiving it.

"T...Thank you...But what's a Valentine's Day?"

"Oh!" Happsta grinned and blushed themselves. "It's a Surface holiday! It's a day to celebrate love and companionship! Isn't that wonderful?"

"You...You love me?"

The question made his cousin blink, and suddenly he was embraced in a surprisingly forceful hug. "Of course I love you, Napstablook. You're my cousin. You're my best friend. You were the only person I could think of that I cared enough about to give you this gift."

"Oh..." He smiled before wincing slightly. "But...But I didn't get you a 'Valentine'. I'm sorry..."

"You didn't know, silly. And besides, your being here is more than enough," they insisted quickly, floating over to the ground and laying back down. "Just put down some money for my little GlitterDew to win the next race, okay?"

Now he did laugh, a small little snort erupting from within him and making him blush; they did love that snail of theirs. "C-can do. H...Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Blooky Take care!"

As he floated back to his station, he looked back to the card. He didn't always understand the things his cousin did, or why he was so obsessed with the Surface and fame, but it made him happy. He nearly wished that he could find something to put all of his efforts into before he realized he'd already found them.

* * *

 **Author Note:** As requested by the lovely **Jinx198** , I wanted to write a fluffy one-shot for Happstablook and Napstablook for Valentine's Day! I wanted to explain a few things for those who are wondering!

-The sketches Happsta shows Napsta here are not the same ones Alphys presents later on in the game universe.

-'Apster' relates to someone who freaks out when presented with too many choices, and 'Dapster' refers to a cross between a dapper person and a hipster.

-Happsta's pronouns are gender neutral because they don't have a confirmed or definite gender.

-Dapsterblook is who we know as Mad Dummy, and Apsterblook is who we know as the Training Dummy. I plan on writing more with all of these guys in the future as well. :)


	5. Questions

Until It's Safe to Go 5  


His parents always told him to not trust science or any of its followers. They would much rather believe in the religious faiths that had been either adapted to or conceived in the Underground; they followed none in particular, but they couldn't stand the thought of science. Auriga had no real issues with his parents' method of keeping their hopes and dreams alive, but he didn't conform. It wasn't for lack of trying, but after all of the years of being obedient, he was determined to be different.

Gaster was a bit infamous, and his parents all but hated him, so he decided he'd be perfect.

"Are you sure you want to go in there?" His best friend, a young Woshuwa named Ajax, asked hesitantly. "I've heard it's dirty."

"Then you can clean it!" Auriga declared at once, winking as he waltzed up to the doors. "Come on, Ajax. Don't be a suds bucket."

"If being a suds bucket keeps me alive..." He heard his friend mumble, but he decided to ignore it as he knocked on the door.

Silence ensued, so much so that he was beginning to doubt he was home before the doors slid open. Darkness was all that either of the two children could see, and given the strong stench of burned plastic and something indescribable, the older child knew he'd lost his friend's loyalty even before he squeaked and stumbled back. It didn't really bother him; he could do this all by himself!

It was cold inside, colder than it ever was in Hotland. He could feel himself shivering as he made his way further in, holding in a yelp when the doors slammed shut. The laboratory was creepy with the weapons hanging on the walls and the thick layer of dust that seemed settled over everything, but he was doing his best not to let that send him running. All of his classmates had done rebellious things that were dangerous like this, like camping outside in Snowdin or skipping school without a doctor's note. If he chickened out now, he was never going to convince himself to come back.

A series of strange symbols appeared against the darkness, and this time Auriga couldn't help but let out a short scream and fall back. His tail felt sticky, weighed down by something frigid and chalky. The white symbols slowly faded, and at once a figure was over him, his eye sockets widening as he looked down at him. All the child knew how to do was to squeeze his eyes shut and pull his knees to his chest, trying his best to embrace for the bite or the slap surely to come.

More symbols. The strange man- was this W. D Gaster?- must have seen the confusion on his face, because he quickly cleared his throat and began speaking intelligibly.

"My apologies, child. It has been many years since I had a proper visitor," he mused, his voice seeming to waver and crack like his symbols had before. "Greetings. I welcome you to my laboratory. I am W.D Gaster."

"W-W D?" He inquired shakily, slowly sitting up the best he could with the confines of the floor. "What does that stand for?"

"There will be plenty of time for questions in a bit," the mysterious monster responded. "It seems you have become ensnared in my work residue. My apologies."

His hands dipped down and around his waist, skillfully pulling him away from the mysterious dust and setting him on his feet. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that this monster closely resembled a skeleton, but that hardly made sense. He'd never seen any except for in Snowdin, and even they were considered a rare species due to their resemblance to humans. His mother would never answer his question about _where_ all of the skeleton soldiers had gone after being banished Underground, but the gut feeling he had made him feel sick with sorrow.

"You are surely cold in this atmosphere. Come."

With the black wardrobe he was wearing, he almost disappeared into the inky color of the room. The child managed to stumble along after him well enough, using the albino glow of his skull- or was it another light, one that was blue and in front of this monster?- to take him through a door. This new room was well-lit, painted yellow and red along the walls. It was homely, more welcoming than his own home. He almost asked why there was such a difference between the two sections of his offices, but decided against it when he saw the monster in question was gone.

"M-Mister Gaster?" He called warily, another wave of shivers crawling down his spine when he reappeared in the doorway on the other end of the room.

"I have many short cuts in my home," the older acknowledged in response to his confounded expression. "Do not let them alarm you so. Here, why don't you drink this tea?"

He decided to comply, carefully sipping the hot liquid and immediately relaxing when he came into contact with a familiar temperature. "Thank you, it's delicious. Where do you get drinks like this?"

Gaster smiled now, and now that he could see him clearly, he determined he _had_ to be a skeleton. "They have to be made from the minerals and herbs found across the Underground. It is tedious but rewarding."

"Wow..." The child grinned now, slowing his drinking down to savor it more. "So how come I've never seen you around before? Do ya just not get out much?"

"I...suppose you could say, little one."

"Well, I understand!" He chirped eagerly, settling back into the chair he'd found to sit in. "My parents don't either. My mother does a little more than my father, but-"

"You have parents?" The adult inquired, his eye sockets seeming to glow with a mysterious blue energy. "Do they know you are here with me?"

Now he couldn't help but become flustered; he hadn't expected the scientist to catch him in the act when he _was_ the act. "N-no. But I've gotta get out from underneath them sometime, you know?! I've got to be my own monster!"

It was fairly clear his superior wasn't happy, and for a moment, he feared he'd be kicked out or even worse, punished. When he merely chuckled, he felt himself release a small breath. "I see. The cheekiness of youth."

"Haha, yeah! My friend Toddy says that every kid has to do it to grow up, so I was ready to be an adult!"

Now the scientist's expression grew more serious, the light in his eye sockets never leaving his pupils now. "All children become rebellious when they reach your age?"

He slunk back into his chair in an attempt to make the intense expression clear, but to no avail. "I...I-I guess so? Some of my classmates are still goody goody, but th-they...They weren't always like that, I guess..."

"Interesting." He pulled a notepad out of his robe pocket and began jotting notes in his mysterious symbols again. "Very interesting. Thank you for that valuable information."

How could that information be useful? Didn't all adults know that? Maybe Gaster had never been a child, or maybe...

"Do you have kids?" He asked at once, his eyes twinkling and his grin widening at the prospect. Having someone to play with _and_ showing his parents up would mean the day was an even bigger success!

Gaster hesitated before responding. "Not at this time, young one. But...I soon will."

"Ooh! Who's the lucky lady?" He asked eagerly, then considered what his teacher had said once about the equality sentiments most monsters shared. "Or man."

The older monster merely chuckled and rolled the lights as if they were his eyes, setting his now empty cup on the small table before them. "Tell me, child. Did you come to my place of residence as the result of a dare, or simply to sass your parents?"

Shame seemed to engulf his entire being; Mister Gaster was so nice and patient, and he'd used him before he'd even met him. "Y-yeah...My parents are really religious, and they kind of hate science, so I thought this would be perfect...But I don't want to know you just because of that anymore! You're really nice! You have cool stuff! You make good drinks!"

To his relief, the other smiled and patted his head affectionately. "That is very kind of you. But I implore you to remember that things- people included- are rarely as they seem. Do not trust anyone on an impression or an instinct. You must gather data and enact upon that information. In this world, there is very little room for the benefit of the doubt. Do you understand?"

Truth be told, he didn't. His mother was very strict about enuring he and his siblings treated everyone with respect, even if they didn't return the favor. His father was unforgiving when he showed any negative attitude toward any of his family members. But Gaster was a _scientist,_ and that had to account for more than his parents' opinions.

"I...I want to," he replied softly. "I should probably go home before my mother has a fit, but can I come back tomorrow?"

"You can come back anytime you'd like. Let me show you out so you don't have to wade through my disorganization."

Somehow, Auriga didn't believe what he'd seen in his lab was just disorganization. The vibes he received from it were much more villainous, full of more secrets than he was sharing. If that was the case, he was determined to find the answers he sought after, just like the scientist himself had advised. On his way home, he decided he would simply lie to his mother about where he'd been. The things he had in mind were now much bigger than his original intention.

* * *

"Is that an elevator?" **  
**

"Why, yes, it is. Where did you learn the name for this device?"

Auriga beamed with pride as he hopped onto the counter top, leaning over the plan his older friend had laid out. "I learned it from this nice lady in Snowdin. I was over there for a field trip when I was younger, and she said their igloo-thingys are kind of like horizontal elevators."

"That is quite a vocabulary you've acquired," Gaster noted, the pride in his tone clear to the younger monster. "Very well said."

He smiled so hard his eyes crinkled shut; he'd made him feel better than his parents ever did. He knew he was loved by his caretakers, of course, but they didn't praise and encourage him like Gaster did. Maybe it was better he still hadn't been honest with them about his whereabouts every day for the last six months. They might not like that he was having his 'ego inflated', and then he'd never be able to safely see him again. Just the thought in itself made him furious.

"So what are you gonna call this thing?" He asked to push away those thoughts.

"I am not sure," the scientist admitted. "But it is going to do grand things for the Hotland community. It will be much more unified and accessible to all creatures, local and otherwise."

"You mean people will actually want to come here?" He inquired hopefully.

"Do we not have frequent intermixing with other areas of the Underground now?" The older inquired, his expression somber but not as intimidating as it was the day they met.

"Well...We go over to Snowdin sometimes, and all of us have seen the king before..." He said nervously, a small sigh escaping his lips. "But people here are so rude to others, nobody really wants to come here. Besides, it's way too hot for monsters in Snowdin, and the Ruins is very isolated anyway."

Gaster set his jawbone now, his sockets focusing more intently on his plans. "You and I are going to change that. This invention will be greatest yet, and it will be the core of the Underground. Nobody will shy away due to the lack of manners from our locals."

"The core of the whole Underground..." The child mused, perking up when the idea hit him. "Hey, yeah! You could call it the Core! Then everyone won't have to guess what it is!"

"...So it shall be done."

 **...**

Auriga had plenty of friends outside of his mathematical friend. He'd obtained some from school and more through those friends, but he knew Gaster led a very lonely and isolated life. So when he arrived one day and discovered there were four other monsters gathered in the main area of his home, he was equal parts astounded and thrilled.

"Who are you guys?" He asked more loudly than he attended, leading to all of them turning to gaze at him. "I...I'm Auriga. I'm Gaster's friend."

"Ooh, that's exciting!" One of the monsters, a ghost, giggled. "We're his friends too!"

"I don't know if I'd necessarily call us that," another, a flames-man type, added rigidly. "We're more like his servants. He sets out tasks for us and we complete them."

"It's a great privilege!" The third, one that looked like a Surface-dwelling creature called a tiger, interjected quickly. "I was nobody before he came along and offered me a job! We wouldn't give it up for anything, at least not me! No sir ree!"

The fourth monster, one that looked like a Woshuwa with distorted features, simply nodded. Perhaps it was just a weird vibe he was getting from this monster, but it almost felt like he would speak if he could.

The monster of the subject was there out of seemingly thin air, but the youngest of them all had long since stopped questioning the 'short cuts'. "Child. You must forgive me for never introducing you all before, but they are my employees. They do not often intermingle with my personal life."

The feline-esque monster seemed a bit wounded by this, so the youth tried to ease the blow. "But they're here now, after normal Underground working hours. That has to count for something, right?"

"Yes, I suppose it does," Gaster said after a pause. "I have provided their instructions in their _folders_ , so they must be off now."

The four of them almost moved as one as they went into the laboratory section, their forms melting into the darkness as easily as his friend's always had. This naturally intrigued and excited him more, but when he asked to be a 'employee' as well, he was told a very firm 'no.' This upset him, but he trusted the scientist now, more than he trusted anyone else. There had to be a reason, no matter how secretive it was. Auriga decided then that he was going to find out what it was, and he was going to find out soon. He just needed an opening.

 **...**

The horror of the situation made him sick to his stomach.

Gaster was there; of course he was. Nothing got past him, not even his sly sneaking in at the most obscene of the morning he could think of. He was now pressed firmly to the other's side, raspy reassures being muttered into the side of his head and he trembled and tried not to vomit on his idol.

The fourth monster was dead. He was dissolved into dust, the same sticky dust he'd waded through nearly a year ago, with his shell hollow. He was dead and the child knew exactly who killed him. He didn't want to have any more questions now, but if he stopped coming, it might anger his friend. He could suffer a similar fate or worse.

He came back the next day.

* * *

Every child felt invisible to their families occasionally. Something felt extremely wrong the day Auriga awoke with his two sisters curled up in a bed that wasn't his despite him falling asleep in his designated place. When he tried to yell at them to get off or push them, he almost seemed to phase right through. It was unexplainable, but he tried not to let it deter him as he made his way into the kitchen. He was probably just being paranoid.

His mother didn't respond to him when he called for her, seeming completely unaware when he grabbed for her waist. His father was just as oblivious as he read his paper and drank his coffee, his eyes alert despite the early morning. Auriga watched helplessly as all six of his siblings entered, their chatter as it usually was as he stood next to them. He became desperate enough to climb on the table and scream their names, but to no avail. The worst part was that none of them seemed to notice his absence, as if he'd never been met by them.

The truth only dawned on him once his mother stood to send them all of to school.

"Head count!" She announced, her eyes sweeping over every child but him. "Amshai, Aavan, Aaleyah, Apikai, Apolloina, and...Artemia. That's everyone. Now get going or you'll be late!"

No. No, something was very wrong, and the only person he could think of to explain it was Gaster. He ran all the way to his friend's home, tripping multiple times along the way, but it was _different_. The front of the building was completely remodeled, much less dreary or ominous as it'd once been. Upon fazing through the doors, he discovered the entrance to be tiled and adorned with a large screen. In a place where he'd expect to find his companion was a small yellow lizard-type monster, nervously pressing her glasses to her face as she observed something about a small yellow flower.

 _He was no longer real._

 **...**

Auriga was no longer real, but he was not alone. The three surviving employees- or as they called themselves, _followers_ \- of Gaster were as grey colored as himself, their formed horribly warped and their personalities seeming much more vacant than they'd once been. They told him that his friend had fallen into the Core, and had shattered himself across space and time. Because he was erased from every timeline, so were they. Everything went on as it'd been, except none of them were ever there.

Nobody was going to remember. Nobody was going to miss him. He was gone.

For the rest of his parents' lives, he watched them. His siblings all grew up and reproduced, and despite himself, he occasionally found subtle ways to play pranks on his nieces and nephews. Even that got boring after all the years, however, so eventually he resigned himself to standing in a particular spot. Occasionally everything around him seemed to reset, going back to a certain point in time despite the numerous times monsters were brought peace or killed in genocide. The yellow flower never found him at any rate, so he found himself unable to care.

After all, he was already a goner.


	6. The Day

Until It's Safe to Go 6

 **Trigger Warnings:** _Heavy descriptions of child abuse and neglect in the first portion of the chapter. They are not mentioned or alluded to more than vaguely thereafter. Chara also has PTSD, which is a consistent theme.  
_

* * *

Chara foresaw issues with their plans. Asriel might have as well, but it was rather obvious he didn't care enough to reconsider and reformat his ideas. If he wasn't worried about the money it would take to buy the materials they wanted in secret, how to sneak away the recorder, how to record without being seen and questioned, or exactly how they'd bake a pie, they supposed they wouldn't be, either.

"Okay, you keep watch," their older brother instructed as they stood outside their parents' room. "If you hear one of them coming, you have to distract them until I can get out. I'll meet you outside as soon as possible, alright?"

"Are we going to be in trouble if we get caught?" Despite their sibling's confidence, the memories of unkind hands, harsh words, and hot flames danced in their memories and tainted the present with anxiety.

Asriel's soft, reassuring laughter made them feel better before he even spoke. "No, of course not! Dad would just say, 'Hey kiddos, if you're going to borrow something of your mother's or mine, be sure to ask!'"

To demonstrate Asgore's reigning kingly presence, he puffed out his chest and lowered his voice as if to imitate their father, and they both burst into a fit of giggles at the end. Now he placed one paw over the opposite wrist, his eyelids batting softly as he lifted his chest at an angle.

"And then Mom would be like, 'Oh, my children! Do be sure to be careful with the recorder, but please, have fun!'"

The fallen human let out a little snort as they continued to laugh quietly with their brother, their arms finding their way around him in a loose hug for support. The two children adored Asgore and Toriel as much as they adored each other, but they were two extremes of a dramatically royal spectrum, so it was impossible not to poke good-humored fun occasionally. Unfortunately, they were not as alone as they'd previously assumed.

"What is all this I hear?" Asgore's massive shadow was suddenly cast over them, but the smile on his face was gentle as he arched an eyebrow. "You two are going to borrow the recorder in secret and you're teasing your mother and I's personalities? I am hurt, truly."

Asriel dissolved into wild giggles now, his arms looking tiny as he wrapped them around his father the best he could, but the human child immediately clammed up. Back on the Surface, Attribe shared their distaste for their selective, superstitious mother, and the two of them would often try and foil her or embarrass her enough to make her avoid them. Occasionally they'd cross her wildly-fluctuating line that meant they'd gone too far, and her discipline was more unforgiving each time. Marks across their back and legs until they could barely stand. Hair ripped away from their scalp. Scratches down their arms, stomach and face. Permanent scars from the time she'd trust their hands in the fire, not Attribe's because he was seen in public more often.

"My child?" Their new father's voice was soft as he knelt down closer; he wanted to be at her level, but he was still humongous compared to his adopted child. "What is on your mind? I am not cross. It is alright to laugh; it was funny."

"N-no..." They fumbled weakly, their resolve and defenses dropping despite their best efforts to just laugh it off. "I...We shouldn't have been me-messing with things we shouldn't have. W-we'll keep away, I-I'll do...I'll do what you need done, just please...please don't punish me..."

Asgore's expression was as soft as it was the day they met, and his eyes were kind and steady enough to set their racing heart at slight ease. "Chara. I understand that life on the Surface was less kind than life down here, and much less forgiving. I understand that because I have seen firsthand what humans are capable of. But we are far from your kind now, and you are safe from those who harmed you for a long, long time now. It will take time to not be afraid, just as it took me many years to not be afraid the war would follow us down here. But it is over, and we will not leave until it's safe to go."

They couldn't help the tears from streaming down their permanently rosy cheeks as they threw their arms around his neck. Asriel immediately scooted closer to his father's head and them, his smaller arm securing across their back before the king enveloped them both in one of his famous cuddles. It was in these moments they felt capable of love, and truly dared to indulge in the thought that they could eventually repay all of the kindness and affection they'd received over the past months being with their new family.

 _Having one of Dad's famous cuddles fills me with determination._

It was a strange way of labeling this memory in their mind, but it seemed appropriate, so they decided to keep it.

* * *

Back in their village, they'd often watched the women sew and create quilts and clothes like there was nothing to it. Maybe they just weren't adherent enough to their biological sex, but it was _impossible_ to patch a quilt.

"Any luck with that shirt?" They grunted as they were stabbed in the finger for what felt like the millionth time.

"Yeah!" Asriel, the poor creature, had his albino fur absolutely covered in paint and marker stains, but he was grinning wildly. "I think it just needs a few more doodles and it'll be ready!"

"Remind me why I'm subjecting myself to this torture?"

"Because we're gonna celebrate being a family!" He winked and resettled onto his stomach, lifting the sleeve of the shirt he was decorating for Asgore and beginning a new sketch. "And we need something for everyone!"

Something for everyone. They wanted to give something to Asriel, but not something as pain-inducing as a quilt or as childishly adorable as a shirt. They had no idea _what_ , though, especially because they were rarely apart and therefore could hardly do anything in secret. Despite the circumstances, they had a very strong feeling he'd already managed to get them something, and that thought was doing a very good at setting them on edge. Their celebration was in five days, after all. How would their beloved brother react if he didn't get anything, or got something not meaningful?

"Ow!" They hissed, yanking the thread through the scraps once more. "At least Mom is worth it..."

They were just going to have to find other ways of obtaining the gift.

 **...**

"This is an obscene hour for someone asyoung as you to be out. Does ole Fluffybuns know you're here?"

"That does not concern you. The point is that I need to buy something meaningful for Asriel, and I couldn't go to the Snowdin store because the monsters who run it are gossips."

"It does concern me." The older reptilian monster arched an eyebrow, which only agitated them and made them more anxious. "I've known Fluffybuns for years, and I'm indebted to him by lookin' after his kiddos."

They felt their breath hitch in their throat as disappointment settled in their stomach like a rock. That was it, then. This senile middle-aged monster wasn't going to help them, and was even going to try and get them in trouble with their adoptive father. Everything was ruined.

"But I understand," he continued suddenly with a wide grin. "Have ya a look around! I've got lots of junk to sell."

They sent a collective thanks to every higher force they could think of and began their search. He was right in saying most of it was junk; gloves with holes, ancient magic spells, cheap tourist food. The child was near giving up and trying to find something at least edible and tasty elsewhere before they finally found something that their tender hearted, sentimental sibling would love.

"Gerson," they began, but the shopkeeper's grim expression quickly made them correct themselves. "Mister Gerson. How much for this camera?"

"How much do ya got, Mini Fluff?"

Their rosy cheeks blossomed with a harsh blush at once. "4...45 gold."

"I'll take it for that, then. I'll even throw in this old picture frame since ya were so nice in calling me 'Mister'."

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

The day seemed familiar for some reason. April 8th was not a major holiday on the Surface nor Underground, but Asriel seemed absolutely insistent that was the day they were going to rejoice their all being together. When they walked into the den area that morning, it was decorated in various streamers and balloons; they were from all types of holidays due to the shortage of supplies Underground, but the gesture still surprised them. Their adopted family all stood together in front of them, smiles on their faces as Toriel held a cake in her hands. It _had_ to be a cake, because there was white icing covering the top with letters written in pink.

 _Happy Anniversary, Chara!_

"A-Anniversary?" They sputtered at once, the unfamiliarity of the situation and shock manifesting into mild panic. "W-what anniversary? I...I'm not married...It's not my birthday, I-I don't understand..."

"The anniversary of your falling down, my child," Toriel clarified soothingly. "It is one of the most special days of our lives, so we wanted to do something special to rejoice."

"B-but this is about our family, not me..." Their mind felt hazy now, their vision blurring with tears of distress. Had they been lied to by the monster they trusted the most? Had their efforts in buying and making presents been futile, just meant to be a distraction and nothing more?

"Of course it's about our family!" Asriel chirped, but his expression grew more gentle as he looked in their ruby eyes. "Hey...It's not just about you. It's _because_ of you."

Because of them. Everything in their short life that related to them was negative except for Attribe, but even he died of a violent plague. Now their new family was celebrating their arrival, and insisting they were complete because of them. They couldn't understand. They just _couldn't_ understand.

"B-but I'm not worth this..." They wrapped their arms around themselves, the tears now dripping down their cheeks. "I'm sorry...I'm a waste of time. If you needed to be complete, you could have just conceived again...You didn't need me for that. The only reason you took me in was pity for my situation, and because you're decent monster beings who didn't want a kid to find their way alone. Maybe...Maybe you did it for a political statement, because you guys are royal."

"My second child," Asgore said in a soft voice. "Why can you not accept it is simply because we love you?"

Love was an emotion they reserved for their lost brother. What they felt for Asriel and their parents was identical, but until this day, they hadn't been able to put that label on it. They loved them. They loved them more with every particle of their being, and would do anything to maintain what they'd received. They had to know how much their adopted child wanted that, and now was the perfect time.

"I-I love you guys..." They sputtered out through their heavy tears. "I do! I love you! I want t-to protect you! I...I got you and made you these gifts because I think you're all so wonderful! B-but I don't deserve this! I don't! Deserve! You! I'm horrible! I've done terrible things to people...I've never said 'I love you' to anybody but my dead brother before today! I've done nothing but bring you down with my crappy personality and my whiny needs...I'm sorry."

"I do not want to hear that kind of talk any longer." Toriel's voice was firm, but the passion in her words was clear to everyone. "You are our second child. It matters not that you are not related by blood or species. You are ours, and we are yours. You deserve the love you were deprived of for so long on the Surface. Nothing you have ever needed was a burden. We are happy to comply because you make us the happiest we have ever been. Losing you or your brother would destroy radiant lights in our lives, so please, do not speak as though you do not provide something much more meaningful than basic survival needs. We love you."

"Yeah!" Asriel agreed fiercely, his arms embracing them to his chest at once. "I've never had a sibling before and I wouldn't want any one that isn't you! You're my best friend!"

"Y-you're my best friend too," they whispered due to the tears they were shedding rapidly. "I love you. I love you. I love you..."

The family hug they all participated in filled them with determination.

 **...**

The locket was gorgeous. The heart-shaped gold piece reflected against the light so much for it to not be brand new, and it complimented the green of their shirt beautifully. They hugged Asriel fiercely while mumbling their thanks and appreciations, but they refused to let any more tears fall. After all, they weren't a big crybaby like their brother.

"I will use this quilt every night, my child," Toriel decided as she opened up her gift. "It is beautiful. Thank you."

"I love this shirt!" Asgore laughed out immediately after, carefully pulling it on over his robes. "It's too special to wear all the time; besides, it would fade that way. I'll have to frame it!"

"Speaking of frames..." They pulled their camera out of the small bag they'd found to hide it in now, grinning shyly. "I got this and a new frame from Gerson a few days ago so we could have a family picture...That was going to be my gift to Azzy."

"That's perfect! We need an accurate picture now that you're here!" Their brother crowed immediately. "Come on, let's put it up on the shelf! We can set it on a timer so we'll all be in it!"

"I will do that," Toriel offered immediately, but when she was handed the camera, she squinted in confusion. "Oh...Perhaps not..."

They couldn't help but snort a little as both they and the males of the family laughed. "Don't worry, Mom, I've got it."

Once the timer was set for ten seconds, it was a mad rush to figure out a position, and it took a few tries to get one right. On what would be the final attempt, Toriel wrapped her arms around Asgore and hoisted her first born between the two of them in a group hug. Initially, Chara figured they were meant to just stand beside the group embrance, but their father lifted them from behind and secured them into the affection between his shoulder and their mother's upper body. For lack of time to readjust, they flashed a peace sign while throwing their arm around his neck.

"Oh, that's perfect!"

"I love it. It reflects our family perfect."

"I know just where I'm gonna put it!"

Perhaps April 8th was going to be a significant day from now on after all.

 **FILE SAVED: THE DAY.**


	7. Cardinal

Until It's Safe to Go 7

 **Flowey Centric: Cardinal**

 _ **Rated M**_

 _Trigger Warnings: Depictions of cruelty and bullying, detailed descriptions/depictions of genocide, depiction of experimental suicide._

* * *

There was a concept that he'd heard his father- rather, King Asgore- say to his royal scientist once. He'd said that the more you killed, the easier it became to detach yourself from it, and eventually it was second nature, something not as natural as breathing but natural like completing a puzzle to get around the Underground.

If that were the case, he could justify why he felt so apprehensive now.

These children were assholes, of course. They'd tried pulling him up from the ground, declared multiple times that he didn't belong there, stepped on him or his roots more times than he could count, but was _murder_ still justifiable? He had a theory he'd been wanting to test out for quite some time, and this was the only way to do it with the ideal victims (because if he messed up, at least the Underground had one less set of idiots running around), but the consequences were still hefty.

"Hey look, it's that flower freak!"

"Didn't get enough yesterday, you weed?!"

No. Not yet. He wasn't ready.

The two wolves and the Gyftrot towered over him, the largest canine's claws extending as he stepped out one of his roots that inevitably stuck out against the icy landscape. He yelped despite trying to appear tougher than he felt, his petals wilting back as the Gyftrot laughed and reared up, his hoofs pinning him backwards.

"Oh, look, he's going to cry!" The female wolf barked out out a sadistic laugh. "You want some MERCY, you little freak?"

"Pl-please..." No! He'd sworn to himself he wouldn't allow this ever again, and yet here he was in tears when they hadn't even begun their real onslaught!

"Why don't you _beg_ for it?" She snarled with a grin. "I want to see you whine and beg right here where everyone can see!"

No adults were around, of course. These children were the type of bullies that hid behind pretty smile and politeness around their parents, and the second they were left to their own devices they showed their true colors. Other children loved hanging around the area, and now they were circling around the little group. Some of their eyes were sympathetic, some were malicious, but nobody did anything to intervene. Somehow, that pissed him off more than his tormentors.

"I...I'm not going to beg for you." In his mind his voice sounded strong, and while externally it was squeaky, he'd still made himself say it.

"Oh yeah?" The male wolf scoffed and jabbed his claws deep into the main source of his roots. "Then don't go crying to anyone for what you want us to do to you."

"P-pah! Put me down!" He inevitably cried and let out a scream as he was uprooted. The world felt full of fire and he could feel himself slipping in and out of consciousness; he saw a flash or two of his SAVE space.

Yes, these children **definitely** deserved it, now more than ever.

The pain made it hard to aim, but he knew he'd hit one of them by the way someone yelped and he was dropped to the ground. Immediately he crawled his way over to his root foundations, tears dripping from his eyes as he painstakingly fused himself back in with his magic and lifted his battered body. The male wolf was rubbing the back of his head and _snarling_ at him, but now that he was secured back to his most comfortable position, he found it a lot less intimidating as the determination began pumping through his tiny form.

"M...my name is Asriel Dreemur," he huffed out with the angriest glare he could conjure. "I...Am the prince of this world. A-and since...I AM a prince...I've decided this timeline is better off without you miscreants."

Surely there was something else he could say, something to really drive the weight of what he was about to do home, but he couldn't think of it at the moment and the Grftrot looked ready to jump on him, so he simply began the FIGHT. It didn't take long at all; it was just a matter of surrounding his SOUL with his petal-shaped bullets and slamming them through it until it finally snapped. His dust sprinkled across the icy ground, blending in beautifully as the barriers and darkness faded from his vision.

He found the looks of horror on the dead monster's little friends' more satisfying than he thought he would.

"You...You sick bastard! You freak!" The female wolf choked out. "I...I'll kill you...I'LL KILL YOU!"

She was even easier to slaughter than the Grfytrot; she was the type of monster who kept her HP low out of cockiness, and her attacks were hardly commendable in form regardless. The male wolf stared at him for a long moment after she was gone before tearing off in the other direction, which gave him an interesting set of choices: To mercy or to murder anyway.

The old him would have hit MERCY without a shred of doubt. Then again, the old him would have never even considered vanquishing his enemies, but something about this form made it easier to no longer feel things like compassion or empathy. This wolf was his enemy, and his roots still throbbed from his being torn from the ice for nothing more than their entertainment.

With all that considered, this was hardly a dilemma.

Almost immediately after exiting the FIGHT, he noticed one of the spectator's screaming for her mother desperately. He wondered what would happen as soon as the adults knew; nobody recognized him or believed he was Asriel Dreemur, and given how ageless he appeared, they likely wouldn't assume he was still very young. Regardless of his heritage, they'd still notify the Royal Guard and drag him into his father's Judgement Hall to be executed or locked away forever.

The kindest option now was to manually RESET the timeline, and nobody would ever have know what had happened. If he was being honest with himself, he'd much rather live in a world without the harassment for as long as he pleased. None of those pathetic spectators had bothered to help him the countless amounts of time he'd been going through his personal hell for no reason, so the thought of the girl tattling _now_ shoved him into the cold, numb mindset he'd been avoiding since he woke up no longer himself.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you~" He manipulated the roots beneath her and seized her ankles, dragging her closer to him while the others screamed and tried to either back away or run. "You little bastards are going to pay for your 'pacifism' today. If you're smart, you'll remember it next timeline, so try and keep up!"

* * *

Dust was sticky. He was always rubbing it off in the snow or blowing it off by utilizing the vents in Hotland now, but it was lovely compared to the misery caused when the Underground was alive. Not everyone he killed was bad or really deserved it, but they'd become too afraid of him for him to keep them around without feeling tinges of guilt for taking away their loved ones. He'd even tried to ignore the good children, the babies who cried for their parents or siblings, long enough for them to cope, but they were too much responsibility for him to bear alone.

The hardest monster to attempt to kill was his father. He'd slid into the castle from behind and shot at him desperately, but he'd fled before the massive king was able to retaliate. The only way to demolish him was to get help, so he'd gone to his mother- rather, Former Queen Toriel- and convinced her with a lot of tears and fake hysteria that he'd finally gone insane and had murdered his kingdom. After doing something like that, it wasn't impossible to watch them slay each other.

He was _completely_ alone now. Unlike when he'd first been this way, however, he was enjoying it.

 **...**

How long had he been a flower? Regardless, never in all his time being this way did he think he'd cease enjoying being liberated from those who he'd grown to hate, but he _did_.

The silence was the main problem. He'd done about everything he could think to fill it: Screaming until he was too exhausted to continue, blaring the ancient music from every outlet he could find, sealing himself down in the elements so it felt familiar, but it was beginning to make him unhinged. If there was anyone to snap at, he would a thousand times over.

That was the other part. It got so _boring_ with no one around to bother him or make his day a little better. Even their dusty remains sank into the ground they stuck to and crystallized, and seeing that made it impossible for him to burrow back down lest he trigger the memories in a negative fashion. He wanted to believe he had no reason to feel bad for murdering everyone- he'd found life to be easier when he remained in his numb state- but he had murdered _everyone_. Looking at them and being reminded most of them were innocent was just painful.

"I guess it's about time I join you all, huh?" He noted out loud as he stared up at the remains of the Underground. "Things...Need to be different this next timeline. I don't really want to go through all this trouble again, and besides, I miss some of you. So try not to be bad this time, okay? Good!"

Death didn't really hurt as much as he thought it would. The pellets stuck fiercely for a moment, and then he was back at his SAVE screen with his body unscathed and his familiar options glowing in front of him like beckons of freedom.

 **RESET**

* * *

Few monsters could change as much as he had over the years, even when it was for their own benefit to do so. The bullies were still cruel as if nothing had ever happened to encourage them to do otherwise, the bystanders were still useless, and the kinder community members were still consistent in watering him and allowing him to hide in their homes or businesses when he was harrassed.

"Hey kid," he mused as he perched in one of the warmer patches of snow slush he'd found in Snowdin. "I have a question for you."

The small skeleton looked up with one eye open; he'd clearly been sleeping before he spoke to him, but he was the only decent audience convenient. "what's up?"

"Do you think the worst person can change?" He couldn't bear to look the youth in his eye sockets now. "If they just try, can they become good again?"

The other monster seemed to consider it for a few long moments before giving him a lazy grin. "sure. good people change for bad all the time, so why can't the opposite happen?"

Optimistic. The feeling had long since drained itself from his capacities, but it was nice to see it live on in someone else.

"Interesting," he simply replied. "Go back to sleep now."

"kay."

This child had a point; he'd been a good person once, a long time ago. He couldn't keep that title in good faith anymore, but maybe he could be more than decent this next timeline. He could do everything in his extensive powers to make everyone's lives easier, and then nobody would have a reason to harass him further.

Would that really erase the sins of the last timeline? Asriel decided it was worth a shot.

 **...**

As it turned out, a pacifist timeline got boring in the end as well.

The bullies no longer bothered him; they were too indebted to him by him helping fix the wolves' parents' broken marriage and by giving Grftrot endless pep talks until he believed himself.

That also meant _nobody_ bothered him, and while he enjoyed the constant kind treatment, it reminded him a little too much of who he used to be. Back when he was Asriel Dreemur, he'd figured out with time that the locals were only generous despite their political views because they feared the wrath of his parents. The only reason they were being kind now is because they thought he was some kind of saint who would have a band of loyal followers to give them hell if they messed up; it was all conditional, not because they themselves were good monsters.

"I don't think I get it, kid." He decided to speak with the young skeleton again as he munched on a complimentary Nice Cream. "Good people aren't really good unless someone is good to them, but bad people don't always need a reason to be bad. Where's the balance?"

"there isn't any." His acquaintance shrugged and propped himself up on the wall. "guess that's why we have to decide who we are despite it. i think i like this better than last time, though."

This statement sent a surge of determination through him; could there finally be someone else who understood the timelines? "Last time?"

"you know what i mean." Something flickered in the boy's eye, something blue and clearly very, very dangerous. "don't play dumb with me, Flower. just don't do it again or you might have a bad time."

So he did know, then. He was knew everything, and he'd figured out he was the one behind it. This brought a crazed grin to his face as he set back onto his roots, preparing to shoot underneath the surface before any more trouble could come of it.

"Really now?" He chirped as the numbness dimmed his sense of regret. "Well then. I guess we'll just have to see! Toodles!"

Perhaps the timelines were finally going to be interesting after all.

* * *

Asriel Dreemur was dead. He died when the humans above wounded him fatally for something he didn't do, and even when his SOUL came back in the form of a flower, he was unable to feel as he had before, and eventually it became nearly impossible to feel at all. Even if he was alive by determination, he was dead _inside_ , so he wanted a new name to completely disassociate from his weaker, more tear-prone first form.

That skeleton had called him "Flower". That was primitive, but something based off of that could work. Something that made him seem unsuspecting when he was being kind, but could easily be a name people cursed when trying to avoid his damnation.

"OOPS!" He'd been so busy thinking he didn't remember to look before popping back up, and he'd evidently alarmed the other young skeleton that lived in Snowdin. "SORRY ABOUT THAT, FLOWER!"

Hearing the cocky little one saying it was irritating, but somehow hearing this practical _baby_ say it was worse. "That's _not_ my name, you imbecile."

"OH! WELL, SORRY ABOUT THAT!" The youth looked ahead and broke into a wider grin. "BUT I CAN'T STAY TO CHAT; SANS SAID WE ARE a SPECIAL DINNER TONIGHT FOR MY BIRTHDAY! SEE YOU AROUND, FLOWE- I MEAN..FLOWE...EY! YEAH! SEE YOU AROUND, FLOWEY!"

Flowey. Innocent. Childlike. Cursed in the right context. Mocking in nature when they found out who he really was. It was perfect in almost every sense of the word, so he smirked and went to RESET this meaningless timeline with his new, perfect title:

 **Flowey the Flower.**


End file.
